


A Day in Heaven

by mielipieli



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Because I wanted to, Gen, phantom stranger #10, rewrite of Bruce's heaven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 11:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13974282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mielipieli/pseuds/mielipieli
Summary: Bruce just wants to celebrate Christmas with his family. Just once.





	A Day in Heaven

“Jason, please let your brother go”, Bruce said trying to hide his smile. 

Jason was holding Damian up Lion King style - Bruce wasn’t entirely sure why - and Damian was trying to escape from his grip. Jason shrugged and opened his hands to let Damian fall to the floor. Of course Damian landed on his feet but still.

“You know what I meant.”

Jason grinned: “I know what you said.”

Tim laughed into his hot chocolate. 

“Tim, don’t encourage him. Damian, that is not a reason to attack Jason. Dick, please help me.”

Dick, who was sitting on a couch with Tim and Cass, took a sip of his hot chocolate: “Oh, you’re doing great!” He seemed to be enjoying himself.

“Jason! Where is that gun coming from?”, Bruce found himself yell suddenly.

Jason stopped pointing it at Damian and took a bite out of it. Chocolate. What else? Damian snickered.

“Why did I adopt all of you?”

“Be-cause you love us”, Cass grinned widely at him and Bruce couldn’t find his exasperation and anger.

“That must be it.”

Jason looked at the door: “I thought Alfred said he was only going to be a minute?”

“I think he meant it in the ‘be right back’ way”, Dick said thoughtfully. “You know, because Alfred saying ‘be right back’ would be the most horrifying moment of any of our lives.”

Jason nodded still looking into the middle distance: “True.”

Bruce caught an amused look Tim and Cass were exchanging and Cass threw him a smile over her shoulder. Bruce did have to admit that Jason and Dick getting along, was not only a dream come true whenever it happened but also incredibly funny. When you were 99% sure no one was going to be endangered at least and weren’t losing to them in a game.

“Finally! I was wondering where you were”, Jason announced suddenly and Bruce turned back to the door.

Alfred was standing in the doorway: “I do believe I said I would ‘brb’.” Alfred’s eyes held that amused glint that meant trouble.

Tim’s eyes had widened incredibly and Dick started giggling.

“However, we did not have enough cookies for unwrapping these presents and your heads still require decorations.”

Alfred put down the plate with the Christmas cookies and held up five Santa hats. Damian’s face immediately went sour. He…

“What are you doing here, Stranger?”, Bruce asked acidicly. He couldn’t believe how the Phantom Stranger had the gall to disturb his family’s Christmas morning.

“This is an illusion, Batman.”

Dread filled Bruce’s stomach: “What do you mean?”

“This is your personal heaven. It pulled you in and we need to go. Damian Wayne is dead.”

Bruce suddenly found himself a few meters away, watching himself interact with his family. He was in the Batman suit. On one side of him stood the Phantom Stranger, on the other Katana. 

Katana put a hand on his shoulder: “I am truly sorry to pull you away from this.”

Bruce allowed himself the pain for five seconds and then pushed it down: “Let’s go. We have a job to do.”

The scene dissolved before his eyes.


End file.
